Pottstown School Board eyes administrator raises

POTTSTOWN — The school board is set to vote Monday on proposed 2 percent raises for mid-level administrators and support staff.

If approved by the board, it will be the first raise in two years for some.

The matter was on the agenda for discussion at Thursday night’s meeting, but none of the school board members had any comment. The package was recommended by the school board’s personnel committee.

If approved, the raises would be effective April 1, said Business Manager Linda Adams.

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The proposal does not affect teachers who are members of the Pottstown Federation of Teachers and are working under a three-year contract approved in October.

According to a list of new salaries Adams provided at The Mercury’s request, the greatest beneficiary of the increase, if approved, will be Pamela Bateson, director of special education and student services — whose salary would increase to $125,212 under the proposal.

Two of the district’s higher-salaried administrators — Pottstown High School Principal Steven Rodriguez and Robert Stevens, assistant to the superintendent — would not be affected by the proposed increase, but for different reasons.

As a result of that promotion, Rodriguez will instead receive a 7 percent raise next school year, adding $8,000 to his current salary, bringing it to $125,546, starting July 1.

Another change approved by the board last month, this one the result of moving the fifth grade into Pottstown Middle School, is Franklin Elementary School Principal Mia DiPaolo’s move into that building to oversee grades 5 and 6.

Her salary will remain unchanged as a result of the move, meaning the 2 percent raise, if approved by the board, would increase her salary to $113,100.66.

She will still earn more than the other principal in that building, Pottstown Middle School Principal Gail Cooper, whose salary would increase to $110,773.02. Cooper has not been with the district as many years as DiPaolo.

Rupert Elementary School Principal Matthew Moyer completes the over $100,000 crowd, enjoying a new salary of $107,400 under the proposal.

Barth and Edgewood principals Ryan Oxenford and Calista Boyer make significantly less, both of whom were hired in the same year and have only been in their posts for two years.

Both would see new salaries of $79,528.38.

At Lincoln Elementary School, Treena Ferguson remains in the teachers union and is receiving a stipend for running that school.

Obviously, the increase means less of a hike for those who make less money to begin with.

So a nurse making just over $41,000 a year will see her salary rise by $820 or so under the salary plan.

The raise will also affect those paid by the hour.

So for a clerk making $14.32 per hour, the increase means 29 cents per hour, $11.60 per week or $603 for the year.

For a secretary making $17.11 per hour, the raise would increase that salary to $18.13 an hour, which works out to an additional $739.44 in a year.

And for a district maintenance worker making $22.78 per hour, the raise would mean an additional $936 per year.

The raises, if approved by the board, would be the first in two years for the top earners.

In the 2014-2015 school year, the final year of the contract, teachers would receive a half-step increase starting in January, 2015 and a 1 percent pay hike on top of the step increase, also starting on the first day of January, 2015.

About the Author

Evan Brandt has worked for The Mercury since November 1997. His beat includes Pottstown, the surrounding townships and the Pottstown and Pottsgrove school districts, as well as other varied general topics like politics, the environment and education. Reach the author at ebrandt@pottsmerc.com
or follow Evan on Twitter: @PottstownNews.